Album Of The Week Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown (From This Is Wiltshire)

Album Of The Week Green Day's 21st Century Breakdown

12:12pm Wednesday 8th July 2009 in

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Album Of The Week

21st Century Breakdown

by Green Day

Out on Reprise Records

by Flicky Harrison

The new album opens with Song Of The Century an introductory acoustic tune with a voice over leading into Act 1 Heroes and Guns.

The title track is a full power rock anthem with rolling drums and a solid beat that pulls no punches. It is an evocative call to arms that makes you want to leap to your feet and join the battle.

Know Your Enemy is the catchy, bouncy single that has regular airplay on BBC Radio 1. Viva La Gloria has a soft and pretty intro, showcasing the stunning vocals of Billie Joe Armstrong. It is a song about how young men yearn for the excitement and glory they can earn from war.

Before The Lobotomy has a strong melody and is more pop rock, but Christian’s Inferno is a pure punk anthem. It is in your face with some fast and furious paced guitar.

Last Night On Earth is a love song, showing the soft under belly of Green Day in a Paul McCartney singer/songwriter style. Strong keyboards and vocals tear at your heartstrings as the tale of a soldier writing to his sweetheart unfolds.

Act Two is Charlatans and Saints which has a different feel to it. East Jesus Nowhere moves back to the raw, hardcore punk with soaring vocals, machine gun guitar and lyrics that inspire strong images especially the ‘Sirens of decay’ spreading out across the soundscape.

Peacemaker has a poppy 1960s feel with a dance beat reminiscent of the mod sound. It is a bouncy, happy summer tune.

Last Of The American Girls is a rhythmic rock ‘n’ roll number, a real foot tapper of a song while Murder City does what it says on the can, blasting out a guitar and drum battle while the strong lyrics are performed in a powerful yet controlled fashion.

Viva La Gloria? Little Girl is a lush track packed with imagery and imagination. It has a gripping story with a sad ending.

Act Three Horseshoes and Hand Grenades kicks off with a wall of guitar and returns to the punk screech vocals creating a headbangers heaven, with plenty of colourful metaphors - not suitable for children.

The Static Age is a melodic rock song with lilting vocals, an intricate guitar build and stunning solo. It has a catchy chorus.

The third act also includes the powerful hit single 21 Guns which is a melodic rock song with bite.

American Eulogy is a three part story covering all genres of Green Day music and See The Light ends the dramatic CD on a measure of hope. An album telling the history of America with panache, from raw brutality of war to Hollywood glitz of the romance of glory in true Green Day style.